By Diane Woodrow – Guest post
2020 they said was the going to be the year of perfect vision – Twenty twenty vision! Then they panicked because suddenly we were all locked inside, unless we were key workers. Suddenly they were talking about how this lockdown/pandemic had been predicted before. Lots of prophecies bouncing out. But not once, at least on the ones I listened to, did I hear anything about this 20/20 vision.
Let me list the things I think this year of 2020 is revealing: (these are in no particular order so apologies if some look like they are of more importance. That is not my intention)
- who the key workers really are. Not just health and care workers but delivery drivers, both food and parcels, those who empty the bins, not just our household ones but the ones in the parks and streets, the takeaway food and coffee workers, those who work in food producing factories. I’m sure I’ve missed some.
- the fragility of the world economy
- poverty and how people teeter on the edge and losing 20% of their wages pushes them over the edge
- the huge one that is causing riots and protests across the world – including social media infiltrations via K-Pop fans – is racism. Not just slurs and comments but institutionalised racism.
- But this is also showing how connected the world is and how people don’t agree with all that is going on and will speak out, will do something. And perhaps it is because so many are at home and have time to do something about it. I am seeing websites starting gathering info, people doing things they would not have had the time or energy to do.
- Not forgetting climate change
- Domestic violence
- Child abuse – interesting how during this time Police say they may have found the real abductor of Madeline McCann which happened so many years ago. Things coming into the light, things being truly seen
mental health issues - the fragility and incompetence of our government and other governments around the world
- the strange system in the USA where one man speaks for all no matter how sound he is
But you know what? All these issues have been raised before. It seems not so long ago another middle aged black man was crying out “I can’t breath” but things did not explode like they have done. It did not become a worldwide thing. Why now? Some say it is because people have less to do, but I would like to raise the issue of 20/20 vision, the prediction that this year we would see things clearly.
It looks too like I might not be the only one thinking this. Here is this great poem by Leslie Dwight going around which says:
“What if 2020 is the year we’ve been waiting for?
A year so uncomfortable, so painful, so scary, so raw —
that it finally forces us to grow,”
“A year that screams so loud, finally awakening us
from our ignorant slumber.
A year we finally accept the need for change.
Declare change. Work for change. Become the change.”
“A year we finally band together, instead of
pushing each other further apart.“2020 isn’t cancelled, but rather
the most important year of them all.”
[accessed 5th June 2020]
“I’m Diane. In 2007 I married Ian and he took on not just me but my two children who I was homeschooling. I was a single mother for nearly 10 years and for some of that time my children and I were part of Ywam Scotland. Now my son in the army and my daughter, after having done her degree in London, is living in Cardiff. In 2016 Ian and I left his 3-bed house in Wiltshire and bought a 6-bed house in North Wales where I have found my spiritual home. From here, when life was “normal” I rented out rooms in our house via Airbnb, etc, and ran creative writing workshops. I love to spend my days writing, reading, taking my dog for long walks on the beach and in the hills around our house, and keeping in touch with my friends.”
photo by Lisa Scandrette
The hem on one of my favorite skirts tore; it is made of a block print, a gift from a friend. For a while I wore it that way—the skirt is full, the tear is not large, and I would forget it was torn until I put it on again. Recently I was preparing to travel and I wanted to take this skirt along. This time, I remembered that it needed some loving attention. I decided to repair it using visible mending—a method of repair that embellishes items rather than trying to make repairs invisible. I cut out a black circle from some scrap fabric, echoing the pattern of the print, folded it over the edges of the tear and sewed it down along the edges. I love my little patch—so much so that I fingered that little patch over and over the first time I wore the skirt again, admiring its clever presence on my hemline.
photo by Lisa Scandrette
I’ve also been assembling a scrap quilt from leftover fabrics. When I was little, my mother had a number of scrap quilts that we called “nap blankets”. Rather than crawling under the covers for a nap, I would lay on top of the bed covers and my mom would cover me with a nap blanket made from bits and pieces left over from sewing clothes. So when I was outgrowing my naps, I would often lay there and search the blanket for pieces of my shirts, my sisters dresses, and favorite fabrics I recognized until rest time was declared officially over. The scrap quilt I am making holds similar memories from leftover projects—birthday banners for nephews and nieces, a costume for my daughter, Christmas gifts and thrifted scraps all reimagined into a new blanket. It’s not coming together rapidly. Rather, it builds two inch square by two inch square and then row by row until it’s big enough to cover someone I love.
An author I read recently argued that we need to become more materialistic rather than less. The words startled me to attention, opposed to what I would usually think. The author went on to explain that perhaps we need to learn to really love the things in our care—to tend them, enjoy them, mend them, pay attention to them rather than letting our attention float so quickly to new items. I’ve been contemplating that in regard to the things in my possession. I often think that the next new thing will be so satisfying and engaging, but neglect to fully enjoy and engage with the last thing I brought into my home.
During this time of COVID-19 sheltering, I have had the opportunity to dive even more deeply into fully appreciating and finding contentment in what already surrounds me—using things, creating from scraps, repairing things, living more softly on the earth. When I think of mending, patching, altering or of creating beauty from scraps or discards, I often think of Jesus. Jesus was all about making the broken whole, lifting those discarded by society, naming their value, making beauty from the most unlikely things, reimagining a more whole way of being in the world. Restoration is holy work—the work of making repairs, of restoring, of reclaiming. It’s also slow work. I love instant results and for things to come together quickly, but Jesus was never in a hurry, and transformation, both of souls and of material goods, takes time, persistence and patience. As I slowly work with my hands, I contemplate what slow work I am allowing Jesus to do in me, asking what he might be restoring, what he might be piecing together in more whole and beautiful ways. What slow work of restoration am I being invited to join in?
What is already around you that you can enjoy? What can you breathe new life into? What is the work of restoration that is yours to do?
by Christine Sine
Over the last couple of weeks everyone at the Mustard Seed House has been hungrily devouring the strawberries in our front yard. And soon will come the raspberries and blueberries and cherries. In each case, there are not many of them, but these first fruits of the season taste the best of any fruit you will ever get out of the garden, partly I think because there are so few of them and they have been long anticipated over the winter. As you can imagine, I am tempted to eat them all myself yet I know that I need to share these “first fruits” and each day try to give another member of our small community at least a couple of these delectable fruits.
Living in anticipation
First fruit are always held in high regard in the Bible too. In Deuteronomy 20:6 we read, “has anyone planted a vineyard but hasn’t enjoyed its fruit yet? Go back to your house because if you did in this battle, someone else would be the first to enjoy its fruit.” Wow. That is high regard indeed but what delight to think that this first produce was so highly valued that it was a reason to stay home from war.
What must have been particularly challenging was the command to give some of these first fruits to the priests and temple workers (Ezekiel 44:30). Sharing the first fruits of any harvest is always challenging but in agrarian cultures, first fruits came at a time when everyone was lean and hungry, wondering whether their stored goods would last until abundance once more filled the earth. The need to give first fruits to the priests would have been particularly hard on the poor and the marginalized. It seems to me that this principle of first fruits to the priests only works well when it is combined with a culture of sharing and generosity where the whole community makes sure that those who do not have enough are provided for too, not with the dregs but with the best that the community has to offer.
I see this principle throughout the Bible too.
In 2 Kings 4:42-44 we read about the first fruits:
a man from Baal-shalishah brought some food from the first fruits of the harvest to the man of God: in his sack were 20 barley loaves and fresh produce still in the husk.
Elisha: Distribute this food to the people so that they may fill their hungry bellies.
Servant: Do you really think this will be enough for 100 hungry men?
Elisha:Yes, do as I said, and distribute this food to the people. The Eternal One says, “They will fill their bellies and still have some food left over.”
He handed out the food to them; and exactly as the Eternal One said, they ate and had food to spare.
Then from the gospel of John 6:1-21 – the story of the little boy with five loaves and two fish.
The servant and the disciples do the maths, and know it is impossible. They act like hired hands or slaves, not believing in the impossible but obeying begrudgingly, without much joy or hope. They were probably filled with anxiety and the rumbling of their stomachs probably made them resent the crowds around them.
Contrast the little boy, a child – probably surrounded by a flock of friends, all laughing, excited egging him on, like flocks of kids that used to follow us in African villages. They alone believe in the possibility that Jesus can and will perform a miracle. In many ways this little boy’s offering is a first fruits offering too. He doesn’t have much, but what he has, he is willing to give. This is the first time as far as we know that he has given anything to Jesus, something small that Jesus could make big.
Today, first fruits may not mean the difference between hunger and a full stomach but there is still something wonderful about them. The first tomato of the season excites taste buds that have not been stimulated since last season and we want more! Surely there is only enough for me (and maybe for Tom.) Yet now we are being asked to share – a paltry amount – nowhere near enough to feed the 8 people in our community let alone 100 hungry men, or a crowd of more than 5,000 hungry men, women and children. It is impossible to believe we can hand it out, feed everyone and still have some left over.
I wonder today as I reflect on these stories “how often do we get caught in an attitude of scarcity because we react as servants rather than as children of God? We look at what we have to offer be it food, or talent, or money and don’t think there is enough for our own needs let alone an abundance to share. We don’t get excited about the possibilities of what God can do and resent God’s invitation to be generous with the first fruits of our labours. We have done the maths and know that there is just not enough for everyone.
Kids are not great mathematicians but they are great sharers and they are great believers in the awe and wonder of miracles. When they see someone with a need they are right there wanting to help and they believe what they have in their hands can make a difference.
What will it take for us to become like children again – excited, expectant and eager to share because we know that in the hands of Jesus the little we have can always be transformed into enough for everyone? The really exciting and awe inspiring thing is that when we begin to share we do see our first fruits multiplied, our excitement grows and we become generous with everything that God places in our hands.
Can you imagine how that kid and his friends must have felt after they watched the huge crowd eat from their little offering? I am sure they talked about it for days if not years afterwards.
So I find myself wondering again: Were some of these kids amongst the early believers in Acts 2:42-47 once more filled with awe and wonder as they now shared meals and possessions together? Did they remember that first time of sharing when they saw Jesus perform a miracle of provision for a great crowd and so believed that he could still multiply their possessions to provide for everyone?
What Is Your Response?
Romans 8:15 tells us that we are not slaves or servants but children of God yet we rarely act as children. We don’t play, get excited or gasp in awe and wonder at the world and its abundance.
Sit prayerfully for a few minutes and think back to your childhood. What is one occasion you remember when you got excited about sharing with others/ How did you feel? What further responses did it stir in you?
What would it take for you to act as a child today? What “first fruit” do you think God might be prompting you to share? How can you respond.
For more reflections one “first fruits” you might like to check out Offer Your First Fruits to God.
Today’s contemplative service from St Andrews Episcopal church in Seattle, with music in the style of Taize contains special prayers and intentions for racial reconciliation and peace.
Carrie Grace Littauer, Prayer Leader, and music by Kester Limner and Andy Myers.
Permission to web stream or podcast music in this service is granted under One License number A-710-756.
Kyrie – Repentance for Complicity
Prayer text by Laura Jean Truman @laurajeanttruman Original post: https://www.instagram.com/p/CA1hxGThdKX/
Adapted and composed by Kester Limner and Andy Myers, shared under the Creative Commons License, Attribution (CC-BY)
The Law of God is Love
Text and music by Kester Limner, composed June 2020, shared under the Creative Commons License, Attribution (CC-BY)
By Lilly Lewin
During Covid19, we have been hosting our thinplaceNASHVILLE gatherings on Zoom three times a week. Each gathering utilizes the same scriptures and prayer practices, but we are blessed to have people join us from all over the country, Canada, and as far away as New Zealand. It’s been a real gift to worship together and learn more about how different places are coping with the virus and dealing with the shut down and now reopening of things. I’ve really wanted to beam myself to New Zealand or British Columbia because they have definitely done this pandemic the right way! It’s also been good to hear how different places are experiencing the protests in response to George Floyd’s death and police brutality. And praying together for change.
Here at our house, it’s been a long couple of weeks and we’ve been carrying many things. Maybe you have too. Here are a few of our thinplaceNASHVILLE practices that might help you connect and process these things this weekend. It’s a liturgy you can do on your own, with your family, with your small group or on line with your whole community. 
Each time we gather we light candles and pray together:
Lord we ask you to fill us with your Hope, Lord, fill us with your Peace,
Lord fill us with your Joy, Lord fill us with your Love, And Lord Help us to see your Light! AMEN
Lighting candles helps us focus our hearts and minds and our attention on God. TAKE TIME TO LIGHT A CANDLE and focus your attention on Jesus and ask him to fill you with his hope, peace, joy and love today.
Then we do a body prayer practice, cupping our hands like we are holding something in them. I invite everyone to cup their hands and imagine all the heavy things they are carrying and then imagine giving these things over to Jesus to carry.
GIVING STUFF TO JESUS to HOLD FOR US: (body prayer practice) We are all carrying many heavy things today… let us give them to God to hold and carry for us. Cup your hands in front of you and imagine all the heavy things your are holding…feel the weight. Picture these things. Name them. Now reach your hands across and put these things into the hands of Jesus to hold. Actually Give these things to Jesus to hold and carry for you today. And know HE will hold them and be in charge of them, so you don’t have to carry them anymore. 
Next, we read a psalm out loud together as a prayer. We listen to the psalm and allow the Holy Spirit to speak to us through it.
PSALM 147 NIV
Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord, my soul.
I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save. When their spirit departs, they return to the ground;
On that very day their plans come to nothing. Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their God.
He is the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them—he remains faithful forever. He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets prisoners free,
the Lord gives sight to the blind, the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down,
the Lord loves the righteous. The Lord watches over the foreigner and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.
The Lord reigns forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations.
Praise the Lord. AMEN
WHAT WORD OR PHRASE stands out to you? What gives you hope today?
Scott Erickson’s TRINITY
LISTEN TO THE GOSPEL: We then listen to the gospel passage read in three versions by three different voice. We allow the Holy Spirit to be our teacher and listen to what God is speaking to us about today. (Lectio Divina) If you are doing this practice on your own, you can use the audio feature on Bible Gateway to listen to the passage rather than just reading it.
This week we continued our study of Acts 2 looking at the arrival of the Holy Spirit and how this changed everything for the followers of Jesus. You can read the three versions here.
QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER… we have time to reflect on the passage and I provide questions to reflect on or journal from on their own.
QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER and Journal from this week:
What do you notice that you haven’t noticed before? What is God speaking to you about TODAY as you read these passages? Take time to read them again, use different translations to hear it in fresh ways.
What questions do you have? What questions come up as you read the passage? Talk to Jesus about them.
How does the psalm reflect God’s heart for justice?
When we read and listen to Acts 2 in light of what is happening in our world today, what do you hear? What do you notice?
When they heard this they were crushed and realized what they had done to Jesus. Deeply moved, they said to Peter and the other apostles, “What do we need to do, brothers?”
Since everyone bears the image of Jesus, what do we need to do in response to how we’ve treated others?
Especially how we’ve treated people of color, or people who aren’t like us, or people we disagree with politically.
ACTS 2:42 -45 What do you notice about how the new church acted? How did they choose to live and work together?
What are some ways our community, or the church community you are a part of, can live out the NEW way of church together and in the world? 
And finally, we do a prayer response together. The Holy Spirit arrived on Pentecost with tongues of fire.
IN RESPONSE TO ALL THAT has gone on this week: What things need burning up by the power of the HOLY SPIRIT? What things do you need to grieve or lament? Write these on the flames. Write your prayers of confession. Then take the time to give these to Jesus. You can even burn them in your fireplace, grill or firepit depending upon your location.
We end by praying our closing prayer together and then blowing out the candles… taking with us God’s HOPE, God’s PEACE, God’s JOY, God’s LOVE and asking JESUS to help us shine his LIGHT to the World!
CLOSING PRAYER:
Lord! Give us grace today to love as you love. Help us to love with extravagance. Give us hope today for ourselves and others. Heal our hurts and our hearts today, so we can serve and help those around us. Help us to know that you are enough. And help us live today and everyday in thankfulness.
For all you’ve done, and for all you bless us with. In the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. AMEN.
You’d be welcome to join us at thinplaceNASHVILLE either Tuesday nights at 7pm central time or on Fridays at 1pm central time via Zoom. We also gather on Sunday nights but take a break in the summer. Just send me an email or follow me on facebook for more information .
Here’s the Flames Hand Out you can print out and pray with :
©lillylewin and freerangeworship.com
by Tom Sine
In my post last week, I invited you to meet and celebrate the decision by the Evangelical Covenant church in 2000 to become a multiracial church. What I didn’t tell you is that for the leaders of the Covenant Church, one of their major influences for embarking on the journey to create a multiracial church was Jim Wallis, editor of the Sojourners Magazine. I am not surprised since Sojourners has given more voice to authors of color and those advocating more for racial justice in society and the church than any other Christian magazine I have found.
Part of the reason for that advocacy is that Jim Wallis was kicked out of his church as a 15 year-old because he became an activist in the early expressions of the civil rights movement. That was, in fact, part of his motivation for starting Sojourners Magazine. It has been a major influence in my life.
When Jim came to Seattle in 2017 to share about his new book, America’s Original Sin, I went to listen to him. His presentation was moving but his book was more convicting than any book I can remember reading; waking us up to the widespread and destructive nature of racism in America.
It is still, in my opinion, the most important book written by a white Christian author for white Christians to read to discover how we can become more positive members of the interracial community in America and the interracial community of the followers of Jesus that reach around our troubled world as we all grapple with this new destructive global pandemic.
In the June issue of Sojourners, Jim Wallis’ editorial is “Learning to Love is Crucial for our Survival.” This issue also includes an article titled, “Finding Hope in ‘The New Dark Ages’’’, that reconnects to the hopefulness of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Now I want to take you back to some of my earliest encounters with the Covenant Denomination as it began its journey towards becoming a multiracial denomination in the early 2000s, which I presented in my last post. Remember their primary strategy for creating a hope filled future was by starting an aggressive program of planting multiracial churches.
One of the first Covenant new church planters was Pastor Efrem Smith. He became the founding pastor of Sanctuary Covenant Church in a multiethnic congregation in North Minneapolis. Christine and I got to know Efrem because his travels often brought him to Seattle. In fact, we were able to secure Efrem Smith as a keynote speaker at a conference in the early 2000s on the challenging topic of how to prepare for a richly multiracial future in America.
It was a very powerful wake up call for a primarily white audience. Efrem is the the author a book that can help us on the journey: The Post-Black and Post-White Church: Becoming the Beloved Community in a Multi-Ethnic World.
Recently Efrem Smith, who is now the co-pastor of a large interracial Bayside Church, Midtown in Sacramento, CA, wrote on Twitter: “Another unarmed African American killing. This time in South Minneapolis in the neighborhood where I grew up. The heartbreak continues. I shouldn’t have to fear for my life because of the color of my skin.”
Bob Smietana of Christianity Today asked Efrem Smith in their June/July issue to address racial issues in America. He asked, “What kind of response have you seen from faith leaders?” Efrem responded, “Those that have been involved in ministry that includes initiatives of justice and reconciliation—the response has been consistent: a call for justice, the call for love, a call for reconciliation, a call for changes through public policy… But then there’s also a significant segment of evangelicalism that is either silent or late to the party when it comes to the church calling for justice.”
Efrem Smith stated, “Evangelicalism needs a more humble posture of receiving and learning. Allow the church that has been deemed the other, the marginalized church, to be the teacher at this moment, and to have the most dominant form of the church in America be the student who is learning to share power.”
How can white followers of Jesus end white silence?
PRE-ORDER~ Tom Sine and Dwight Friesen’s book called 2020s Foresight: Three Vital Practices for Thriving in a Decade of Accelerating Change will be released in September 2020 by Fortress Press.
Please note, we receive a small commission if you order from this page.
by Lisa DeRosa
“Social distancing” – two words that are both a benefit and a curse.
We were created for connection with people and yet, the physical connection in this time is dangerous. The effects of “social distancing” have kept people safe and decreased the spread of the virus and flu, but has also increased isolation of people, created in God’s image to be in community with one another. After 3 months of stay home, stay safe, I feel the effects of “social distancing”. Trips to visit family and friends were cancelled and I cannot foresee when I will travel again. I am grateful that I and my housemates are safe and that we do live in a community so we are not alone. But I have become weary of not meeting with my church family, my blood relatives, and having friends in my home.
As we continue to stay home and stay safe to protect and care for others, to keep ourselves, our medical workers, janitors, and other essential workers safe, I want to branch out from my weariness, from my lack of connection, and think of creative ways to safely be present with my friends by “distant socializing“. Not on a screen. For my mental and emotional health, I need this switch from “social distancing” to “distant socializing”. This reduces my tendency toward fear and isolation to connection and creativity. The social norms of Happy Hour after work, going to the movies, or grabbing dinner at a restaurant together are not doable right now in Seattle. Activities together look different. Last weekend, my husband and I drove to Chick-fil-A to get lunch with our Life Group leader. It was pouring rain, so he stayed in his car with the window rolled down and we sat in our hatchback trunk facing each other to enjoy lunch “together”. It was the most life-giving interaction with a friend we had had all week.
This post, Seeing Differently as a Way of Life, was helpful as I have pondered this next season ahead. As we move into summer here in the northern hemisphere, the possibilities for “distant socializing” greatly increase! We want to share ways to connect with family and friends that is safe and respectful of each other’s physical space but breathes life into our much needed relationships! This NPR article also helped me discern what safe practices could be possible for this summer. For our southern hemisphere readers, we have included indoor activities too! Please share what ideas you have with us!
Outdoor Ideas
- Gardening:
-
- Create a Gratitude Garden – invite others to bring their own supplies and make one with you
- Resources for starting a garden – websites and books to help get you started, ask a friend to help too
- Tips for Community Gardens during COVID – BC Centre for Disease Control provided this very helpful guide!
-
- Walking Barefoot Through the Neighborhood by Andy Wade – walk with another person to share in this experience
- The Spiritual Practice of Going Barefoot – connect with the ground while you connect with a friend
- The Practice of Play by Lilly Lewin – great ideas from Lilly, most of which can be done at home or safely in your neighborhood
- The Spiritual Practice of Beach Combing – if you live near a beach, lake, or any water, this can be a great way to venture outside safely with others
- Awe and Wonder Walks – point out the beauty you see to someone when you go for a walk
- The Delight of Walking in the Rain – perfect for the Pacific North West and other rainy places
- Lectio Tierra – great practice explained by Andy Wade
- Fire pit hang out – roast marshmallows or sausages over the fire while keeping distance
- Ideas for kids – 10 ways to help kids get outside while living in the city
- Prayers of a Different Sort: A Children’s Prayer Book – prayer walks, labyrinths and more!
- Backyard games – we like to play croquette, catch, and disk golf in our backyard but here are so many games you can play outside!
Indoor Ideas
- Knitting as a Spiritual Practice by Lisa Scandrette – sit farther apart, but still within chatting distance! Knit items for your local charity of choice to bless others in need
- Spirituality of Gardening Online Course – sign up with a friend to talk about the material together
- Divine Doodling – such fun to see what creative drawings come from this practice – ask others to join you!
- Gift of Wonder Online Retreat – creative retreat experience for at home use
- Gratitude Scavenger Hunt – a reflective activity for indoors or outdoors
- Painting Leaves – I love this activity, the Mustard Seed House did this last fall and we all really enjoyed it
- Finger Labyrinth – lovely contemplative practice, great to make with others and use together or by yourself
- Colourful Me – great for kids who love to colour and let their creativity shine!
What other ideas do you have that we should add to this list?
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